Police say too often people just say goodbye to their money because they feel powerless or are too embarrassed to admit they’ve been had.

Painchaud’s instincts, his persistence, and his knowledge of the Spanish language paid off.

“I was extremely fortunate that we were able to get this money back. A ten thousand dollar hit in my bank account would have been disastrous,” said Painchaud.

Painchaud has phoned eBay several times and never received a response; however, the company has issued a warning about scams on Craiglist that promise eBay protection packages. eBay says its protection programs only apply to eBay purchases.

The company also has a list of common warning signs of fraud. They include:

Deals that are too good to be true

A seller who says they can’t meet the buyer, or show off the item for sale

A seller who claims to have made arrangements with eBay’s vehicle purchase protection or finance centers

A seller who requests payment by a money wire like Western Union or Moneygram

For those who have already wired money out of their account very little can be done.

Often the only way to recover money is if the receiving party agrees to return it.

Those who think they have been a victim of fraud should file a police report, and contact their bank branch. Those agencies need check numbers, copies of all emails, and money order receipts.

Unfortunately, con artists are becoming more sophisticated and fraudulent activities are on the rise. Local police departments and federal agencies such as the FBI are overburdened with mounting cases of identity theft and fraud.

Banks and shipping companies are also aware of these scams, but seldom intervene on your behalf. Thus, it is becoming increasingly important to learn how to protect yourself from these threats.